


Ice Skating

by Sarai



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fluff, Ice Skating, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:48:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21949855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarai/pseuds/Sarai
Summary: Winter arrives in Kerch and Wylan can't wait to go ice skating. Jesper's nervous about stepping on ice with knives strapped to his feet, but for his merchling, he's willing to try.
Relationships: Jesper Fahey/Wylan Van Eck
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	Ice Skating

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sevenofcrowss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevenofcrowss/gifts).



“If you’re going to take me on holiday, take me somewhere exciting,” Jesper complained. “Take me to Caryeva in the summer.”

“Okay,” Wylan chirped, turning to give Jesper a grin. He didn’t grin like that enough—despite Jesper’s best efforts. But he looked so pleased now, blue eyes sparkling and his red-gold curls bouncing, that Jesper didn’t have the heart to grouch at him. His grin slipping a notch, Wylan stepped closer to Jesper and straightened his coat. “Are you warm enough?”

Jesper swatted Wylan’s hands away. “Stop fussing! I’m fine.”

“If you say so,” Wylan pouted. He stood on tiptoe to kiss Jesper’s cheek, then wrapped his mitten-clad hand around Jesper’s and tugged him onward. With a deeply put-upon sigh, Jesper allowed this.

The streets of the Geldin District were larger and tidier than the Barrel, less crowded, and Jesper noted the care Wylan took that the two mercher boys should make space for others. Mostly it was servants on errands. Jesper and Wylan were being irresponsible. Or rather, Wylan was. Jesper was just following his boyfriend’s lead, at the moment literally!

“Here we are!” Wylan announced. He held the door open for Jesper.

It was their first winter together and Wylan had been startled to learn that not only did Jesper not own ice skates, he had never been skating. What Jesper failed to mention was that he did not want to go skating. He assumed that since Ketterdam’s canals did not freeze, that would be the end of it. 

He hadn’t anticipated how much Wylan loved skating. He hadn’t anticipated the energy, the enthusiasm, the need Wylan had to share this simple joy with Jesper, and within five minutes of hearing that Jesper had never been ice skating, Wylan was planning a holiday. And Jesper… well, Jesper didn’t have the heart to deny him when he was so excited for something. Wylan fretted and worked and worried; it was his way. They could be having a perfectly fun conversation, but if it lapsed into silence for more than five seconds, Wylan got that look in his eyes that said he was worrying again. 

Jesper was less than eager to scoot around on ice with knives on his feet—it was perhaps the only activity his daredevil heart deemed too ridiculous. Yet here he was, picking up a new pair of skates because it would make Wylan smile.

“What do you think?” asked the… cobbler? Skate-maker? Jesper wasn’t sure what one called a man who made ice skates.

“Are they comfortable, Jes?” Wylan asked. 

“They’re tight.”

“They’re meant to be tight.”

“Then they’re perfect,” Jesper said.

Wylan grinned, reminding Jesper why he was doing this. 

“Just like you,” Jesper added. The resulting half-laugh and full blush was more than he could have asked for.

He eased the too-tight knife-shoes off his feet. As they were taken by a clerk to be packed into a box, Jesper asked, “Are you sure I shouldn’t wear them out?”

“You might yet.”

Hah! Unlikely.

“We’ll see,” Jesper said, with a grin at Wylan.

* * *

The Hendriks lake house was an altogether different place when one was not sneaking in under the guise of the Komedie Brute. In fact, Jesper much preferred the place when he could sweep in through the front door. He felt like himself here. He still liked cities, but in Geldin District, wearing revolvers was seen as eccentric at best, unacceptable at worst. Now his pearl-handled revolvers were at his hips where they belonged. 

Yesterday after they arrived, Jesper had been curious about the place and gone to look around while Wylan settled in his mother. She was doing so much better, but Marya was still on shaky ground at times. So Jesper had taken the measure of the place, seen the outbuildings, the old graveyard, the frozen lake. He had even used his powers while he was out. There was nothing to make or shoot, so he settled for borrowing the color from a patch of bark. Not impressive, but it soothed an itch. When he swept back into the house, revolvers at his hips and coat flaring perfectly, knowing he had that zowa glow about him, Wylan's eyes nearly fell out of his head. 

Today, however... today Jesper felt less enthusiastic. He felt an uncomfortable nervousness. Give him a firefight any day. A good brawl. Give him a house to scale (and a Wraith to help him, preferably). Following Wylan to the pond, Jesper felt distinctly not-brave and he did not care for it. He felt cold, too, a different sort of cold. Ketterdam had a wet, heavy cold. The cold out here was sharp without the buildings of Ketterdam to shield against the wind.

Wylan paused. There was a stone bench at the water's edge, likely a nice place to sit in spring or summer, if one were the type for sitting still. He set the bags containing their skates on the bench and turned to Jesper.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Wylan said.

Jesper laughed. "That's good. I was worried you wouldn't love me," he teased.

"Don't even joke about that!" Wylan wrapped his mitten-clad hands around Jesper's and squeezed gently. "I know you're nervous."

"I am not," Jesper lied. When Wylan's only response was a solemn, steady look, Jesper amended, "I'm a little nervous. Go on, show me you're any good. It'll make me feel better."

After a moment's hesitation, Wylan sat on the bench and traded his boots for ice skates. Unlike Jesper's shiny new skates, Wylan's were older, scuffed but still clearly well-made. He tugged hard at the laces. Once they were sufficiently strangle-tight, Wylan made his careful way to the pond. Jesper half-expected him to fall. This was Wylan. Jesper adored his merchling, but he was clear on his limitations. Things at which Wylan excelled included drawing, music, and having proper merch manners. Things at which he usually failed included... anything requiring coordination. 

So Jesper watched, already prepared to step forward and scoop Wylan off the ice when he fell.

Wylan did not fall. If anything, he swooshed. He took a few unsteady scoots onto the ice, then picked up speed until he had circled twice around the lake, leaving thin scores in the otherwise smooth ice. Usually quiet, now he laughed, maybe louder than usual, maybe the sound just carried on the ice, but he laughed. 

Jesper stifled a sigh. Now there was no way he was keeping off that ice. Wylan was doing that annoying thing he did again, being happy, making Jesper want to join him. Watching him move so fluidly was a surprise. He was awkward usually; of course the Kerch boy was at home on knife-shoes. What a strange culture it was.

Wylan jumped from one foot to the other, his legs stretching out. He did it again, then skated backwards towards Jesper.

"Show-off!" Jesper called.

"You know you love it," Wylan retorted.

He did, actually. Wylan's display was enough to make Jesper sit down and remove one of his boots. Cold immediately clamped onto his foot. Saints, why had he agreed to this?!

Oh. Right. Wylan was approaching with his wobbly ice-skates-on-dry-land steps, flushed and grinning. "I'll help," he said. He knelt and tightened Jesper's laces for him, wrapped the laces around his skates, and tied them tight.

"Ready?"

How could Jesper say no to that smile?

He stood... and immediately decided he was not ready. It felt just as fundamentally wrong as he expected and then some, his usually broad and solid feet balance atop something so unsteady. Jesper liked adventure, but this was a challenge he did not appreciate. Certain things ought to remain true. His feet ought to be his old reliable feet.

"I've got you!" Wylan promised, reaching out and taking Jesper's hands. "It's okay." He held on as they approached the lake. Jesper did not appreciate his wobbly steps, but he could try. For Wylan, he could try this completely unreasonable activity that only a mad Kerch could enjoy!

Wylan skated out onto the ice, completed a small circle and came back, offering his hands. Jesper tucked his mittens into Wylan's and set one skate on the frozen lake. Saints, this was not an improvement! Now he was wobbly on one foot and slippery on the other. This entire business was... unnatural. 

"You're fine," Wylan told him.

Jesper moved his second foot to the ice. For one ridiculous moment, he was suspended, all his weight and balance on a knife on ice and every ounce of trust in that crazy, rosy-faced Kerch boy with that stupid beautiful smile that Jesper couldn't resist. Then he set his foot down on the ice.

"Ready?" Wylan asked.

Saints, no! 

"Always."

Wylan began to skate backwards, his hands still wrapped around Jesper's, drawing him onto the frozen surface of the lake. With nothing to worry about but his balance, Jesper could admit it was a little enjoyable, the way he felt like he was gliding out over the ice. He  _ was _ gliding over the ice! He heard as much as felt his skates swiping new scrapes onto the previously barely-marked surface.

Then they hit a bump and Jesper wobbled.

"I've got you," Wylan said. "You're doing great."

"I'm distracted by your pretty face," Jesper retorted.

Wylan rolled his eyes. Prettily. Distractingly. 

He drew Jesper around the lake, warning before any big turns, even though Jesper was the one facing forward. His attention was more on his wobbly feet than anything else! As Wylan covered more and more frozen ground for them, though, Jesper started to enjoy this the slightest bit. He started to appreciate how it felt when the ice was smooth under his feet. Then he was gliding across the surface, gliding through the air that slid cold and clear across his face. Jesper felt a smile growing on his face and he could have fallen into the responding smile Wylan gave him.

After a second time around the lake, Wylan asked, "Are you ready for me to let go?"

Jesper wanted to scoff. It was still his instinct to say he was absolutely fine on his own, to make it a punchline that he would seem otherwise. The sweet, sparkling eyes looking up at him, though, made the promise Wylan always made. It was okay. The truth, Jesper, everything was okay.

Jesper swallowed.

"Stay close to me, Wy."

"Always."

Wylan released Jesper's hands, but he stayed in front of Jesper, his hands hovering just a few inches below Jesper's.

Jesper made it about three meters on inertia alone. Then he wobbled. A jolt of adrenaline shot through him--he was on knife-shoes, on ice, he was about to fall. Normally Jesper liked adrenaline. Normally he could do something! This time, powerless, he felt like something inside him was dropping fast.

At once Wylan's hands were back on Jesper's, steadying him again.

The only sounds were the whistling wind and the edged shush of their skates against the ice. Then Jesper nodded and Wylan lowered his hands again.

He was surprised by how his legs were starting to ache. He expected it to feel like a swift walk, but found different parts of his calves and thighs were already feeling the strain. 

"Let me go on my own now," he said.

Wylan nodded and took a few quick skate-steps back, then fell into place beside Jesper.

"I'm fine," Jesper insisted. "Go show off."

"Is that what you want?" Wylan asked. "I'd hate to distract you."

Jesper laughed. "I'll manage."

"Okay."

Wylan skated off.

Jesper did manage. He wobbled and moved slowly, his hands held out from his sides for balance, but he managed. He took turns awkwardly and widely, but... he was getting this!

He risked a glance at Wylan, who was zipping across the frozen surface, continuing to surprise Jesper with his skill. This was a side to his Wylan that Jesper had never seen before. His physical confidence, that carefree smile... he was so beautiful this way. Jesper watched him glide along. He liked watching Wylan, always did, but this was something special, the way he seemed so right, the way he just knew how to move...

Jesper barely knew what was happening before the snow was rushing at him and he landed on the ground. The snow was enough to cushion the fall, though the chill did nip at his face and where it slipped between his mittens and the cuffs of his coat. 

"Jesper?"

He heard Wylan skating to a halt as he picked himself up.

"I'm fine," Jesper reported. He had got himself into a seating position and held out his hands to Wylan, who helped him not so much to his feet, but to his skates. 

"Do you want to go inside?"

He did a bit, but Jesper didn't want to admit it.

"One more time around the lake," he suggested.

"Only if you'll skate with me," Wylan retorted. 

Jesper gave him a look. "You don't need to do that."

"I didn't think I needed to. I like skating better with you."

Jesper wasn't sure he entirely believed that, but he took Wylan's hand. They took one more round of the lake. With Wylan to steady him, Jesper risked an increased pace. He didn't take his eyes off the ice this time, following his path carefully, and he felt quite accomplished when Wylan brought them to a halt near the bench.

They traded their skates for boots. Jesper noticed Wylan wiping the blades of his skates. Wylan held out a hand for Jesper's skates and cleaned his blades, too.

"We'll carry them back out of the bags, let the leather breathe before we put them away."

Jesper nodded. He had never owned ice skates before, so he would gladly follow Wylan's advice on caring for them.

"So?" Wylan prompted.

"So," Jesper retorted. "So... skating isn't too bad."

Wylan broke into a dazzling grin, and Jesper just knew he would be skating again soon.

"You never told me you were good at a sport," Jesper only halfway teased.

Wylan nudged him with an elbow. "Oh, hush." But he was still grinning and flushed, his curls sweat-damp.

“We’ll come back tomorrow,” Jesper promised.

He was surprised to note how late it was, the sun already approaching the horizon and the air taking a more savage chill. Time really flew when you were wobbling around on your knife-shoes! It was the perfect time to head back inside, the right time of day for hot chocolate and a warm fire.

“You don’t have to do that,” Wylan objected. “Come on,” he added, standing. He offered his hand, but Jesper opted instead to put an arm around Wylan’s shoulders. Wylan settled close with his arm around Jesper’s waist.

As they headed back to the house, Jesper clarified: “I don’t know if I’ll be skating, but I’ll watch you show off.”


End file.
